BATHINDA, Punjab—The clash between the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and residents of Bhai Rupa village over 161 acres of land took a new turn this evening with 10 members of the SGPC from Bathinda and Mansa districts resigning from the committee. Three SGPC members were recently injured in a clash with the residents.
Mohan Singh Bangi, Jathedar Gurtej Singh Dhande, Mithu Singh Kahnake, Jagjit Singh Khalsa, Surjit Singh Raipur, Major Singh Rampura, Joginder Kaur Balluana, Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, Amrik Singh Kotshamir and Gurpreet Singh Chibbar submitted their resignation to SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar at Talwandi Sabo.
Makkar said a decision on the resignations would be taken at a meeting of SGPC office-bearers later.
While the SGPC members are demanding that those involved in the clash be arrested, the villagers accuse the SGPC of trying to take over their land under the Akali patronage.
Members of Bathinda and Mansa today convened a meeting where they unanimously decided to tender their resignation letters. They then approached the SGPC president who reached Takht Damdama Sahib. After paying obeisance at Takht Damdama Sahib, all of them handed over their resignation to the SPGC chief.
They said they were doing so to protest police inaqction on the matter.
There has been tension in the Bathinda village for the past one week.
The district administration has increased security in the village and its nearby areas.
